Super simple herb cream cheese

New York everything bagel, well toasted
with herb cream cheese

My first job (at 16) was in a bagel shop/cafe.  The lady who owned the bakery was a native New Yorker and we baked the most amazing authentic New York bagels.  This ignited in me a love of these chewy, versatile, circular goodies-- though I am normally disappointed by the fare baked up in my local bagel shops. 

But...my awesome sister in law recently returned from a trip to New York, and brought me home a half dozen bagels!  When she ran them over to me, I immediately opened the bag and took a bite of the nearest everything.  It didn't disappoint!  (Thanks Miss!)

I like my everything with plain cream cheese, but I figured for a special bagel that traveled so far I could come up with something a little more flavorful.  So with some pantry ingredients I had on hand I whipped up this super simple herb cream cheese spread.



Super simple herb cream cheese spread

8 oz cream cheese
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/4 tsp onion powder
dash of salt
fresh herbs on hand, chopped or dried herbs
Scant tbls club soda

Note on the herbs: I happened to have fresh parsley, basil and thyme.  I used a couple leaves of basil, a sprig of parsley and a sprig of thyme.  If you don't have any fresh herbs, just throw in some dried herbs of your preference.  I happen to love fresh thyme, but a little goes a long way as it can overshadow other flavors.

Note on the club soda: This was the technique of the bagel shop I worked for- club soda in the cream cheese!  Why?  Have you ever tasted cream cheese that had a whipped, airy quality to it?  Chances are there was a little club soda mixed in it!  Start with a scant tbls, then add more to get the desired texture.  Be careful not to add too much or the cream cheese will be too soft and runny.  Of course if you don't have club soda on hand, just omit it- the cream cheese will be thicker and not as spreadable, but it won't affect the taste.


Blend all ingredients in food processor with metal blade attachment until herbs are chopped nicely.  Taste, then add more salt, garlic powder, and onion powder if desired.

Random Fall and Food

Fall bouquet



Bartlett pear, granny smith apple, golden delicious apple

Fall cooking is my favorite of the year.  I've eaten lots of warm, cheesy dishes.

Fennel, olive, and goat cheese tart

 

Korean rice bowl

The two recipes above are from my favorite,
America's Test Kitchen. 
If' you've never cooked any recipes from America's Test Kitchen, you are in for a treat.  They test each recipe so thoroughly, and write the directions so well that the dishes are almost fool-proof!  I cook almost exclusively with their recipes. 
It sounds like I'm on the pay-roll, but I really believe anyone can cook anything with their help!

Korean rice bowl includes: marinated steak, shiitake mushroom and spinach saute, pickled veggies, rice, and purchased kimchi.  Korean food is one of my favorite things.

Pick up the magazine here; it includes both of the above recipes.

Autumn in the desert is wonderful.  The air is so crisp.. without humidity it is the definition of crisp.  The sun is shining.  The sun always shines and there are few places of shade; but the intense heat is gone.  No rustling leaves- none have fallen.  All is bright, cool, quiet.

Hail

Earlier this week a storm blew through.  It hailed in the evening and the balls of ice melted as quickly as they fell.  The heat of my hand began to turn this one to a puddle as I held it.

I've started a new quilt!  More on that later!

Frida girl!!  Look at that goatee! ;)

Pecan Pie

 

 

 

 

I baked this pecan pie this morning as a belated bday cake for my husband.  It turned out perfectly!  Golden flaky crust and filling at just the right texture.  The trickiest part of a pecan pie is knowing when the filling is done.. it should be set but still a little jiggly when you take it out of the oven.  It you under cook it, it will ooze when you cut it.  If you overcook it, it will be thick and chewy.

 

You can get the recipe for free with a trial from my favorite America's Test Kitchen here.

 

 



Mixed Fruit Smoothie Recipe

Mixed Fruit Smoothie Recipe

1 overripe banana (the blacker the better)
1 overripe peach
3-4 strawberries
handful of blueberries (frozen is fine)
handful of raspberries
handful of blackberries
1/4 cup apple juice
Two scoops of whey protein powder
Tbls agave syrup
8-10 ice cubes

Place all ingredients in a blender and puree until smooth.  Enjoy!

NOTES: The fruit combinations are very flexible, just use the fruit you have on hand.  The only fruit I keep in is the overripe banana.  Just use several handfuls of whatever fruit you have on hand, the riper the better. 

A little agave syrup goes a long way!

 



Mixed Fruit Smoothie

Peanut Butter and Jam Cake

Peanut Butter and Jam Cake

I made this cake yesterday... delicious!  Very, very sweet though...

A white layer cake with rasperry preserves.  Peanut butter buttercream frosting (try saying that 3 times fast).   Tastes just like the name suggests. 

You can get the recipe for free here!
And the white layer cake recipe here.

Random stuff, mostly food related

Though we normally keep our distance,
we like to watch the ground squirrels and california quail together

My husband brought me some homegrown heirloom tomatoes.  They were delicious!  Juicy but firm and so flavorful!

Heirloom tomatoes; sprinkled with sea salt mmm..

I had a shock when I cut into an 'on the vine' tomato.  It wasn't rotten, in fact it was still very firm, but every seed had sprouted inside it!  There are always new experiences in the kitchen. ;)

Tomato with sprouting seeds

I fixed a sheet pizza for dinner tonight.  I am a pizza making maniac.  I have five pizza recipes I use regularly, from pan to thin crust to margherita to tart.  I love to make pizza!  This was the first time I made this recipe.  It feeds 12 people, so naturally I thought it was a good recipe for two! 
Tangy sauce, thick crust with a crispy bottom, and lots of cheese...


You can get the recipe here with a 14 day free trial.

I recommend checking out America's Test Kitchen's site, where you can get a 14 day free trial of all their recipes. I cook almost exclusively with Test Kitchen recipes, as they are always spot on.

Sheet pan pizza

Frida girl!

Sun Belt Scrambled Eggs

Sun Belt Scrambled Eggs

Serves 2-4

Notes: This recipe could easily be doubled for a crowd.  I prefer the dried sun-dried tomatoes, as opposed to the ones packed in olive oil.  A little blue cheese goes a long way!

Ingredients:
6 eggs
2-3 tbls milk
2 tbls butter
4 scallions, chopped thin
handful of grated white cheddar cheese
handful of sun-dried tomato
half avocado, sliced thin
handful of blue cheese
Salt and Pepper

1. Add 2-3 tbls milk in a bowl with cracked eggs, salt and pepper.  Beat vigorously with a fork until mixture is thickened and uniform in color.  (the milk will make your eggs fluffier; you can sub heavy cream or half and half)

2. Meanwhile, melt butter in skillet til foaming.  Add chopped scallions and saute til onions are softened and starting to brown.

3. Add beaten eggs to skillet.  Throw cheese and sun-dried tomatoes on top of eggs and stir gently to combine.  Let eggs cook for a few minutes without stirring-- this will set the curds.  Then stir gently and sparingly with a wide spatula, scooping from underneath the eggs and gently flipping them over.  This gives the eggs a large, fluffy curd.

4. Remove eggs from heat; when they are done cooking they should appear only slightly moist and should be almost beginning to brown.  Sprinkle blue cheese and top with avocado. 

Enjoy!

Nanny's Berry Cobbler

Nanny lived in a little house that sat on an old farm.  The old farm sat on a mountain in Alabama.  The farmland had been in our family for generations, but over the years parts were sold off until only a little remained.
 
It was flanked with creeks and ponds.  No one had farmed the land in years and it was all grown up.  The woods had taken over most of the sheds and honeysuckle grew into and around and on top of the barn.
 
The fences that used to mark the boundaries of the fields now served as trellises for wild blackberry bushes.
 
When school was out for the summer we visited Nanny, and the blackberries were always ripe.  She would give us a basket, and we would wade through the fallow pasture to pick the firm, tart berries.  And she would make us this cobbler.

Nanny's Fruit Cobbler

1 cup flour
1/2 tbls baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
pinch of salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter, melted
2 cups berries

1. Whisk dry ingredients
2. Add milk and melted butter to dry ingredients
3. Pour batter into ungreased 1 1/2 quart dish
4. Distribute berries evenly over batter

Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes.  Don't over bake.  Bake time will depend on the shape and height of your baking dish.  Center should be set, and toothpick should come out clean.  Top will be a deep golden brown.  Let sit 20 minutes before serving

This cobbler is very moist, with a large crumb.  The butter creates a crisp top layer, while the milk keeps the middle white and moist.  The berries sink to the bottom forming a tart base.  Serve warm!

Summer berries

I know that by this point in human evolution, no one cares about photographs of berries- but I just can't help myself!  They are so photogenic. 

And they are posing in a bowl from my Strawberries 'n Cream dinnerware set! 

----------
After my husband and I moved into our first home (side note: it was next to a whiskey distillery, so the smell of sour mash was always in the air), my parents came over with a cardboard box.  Inside was the strawberries 'n cream dinnerware set including bowls, plates, saucers, a sugar bowl...


Oh, the cherished gifts we are given when starting our adult lives.. when the heavy reality of having to buy your own pillowcases sets in..
---------


But the summer berries above are not as random as they appear.  Check back this weekend, and join me in a berry cobbler!  I will be posting my Nanny's fruit cobbler recipe and trust me, you don't want to miss it! 

Bonty Bread

This simple and delicious banana bread recipe comes from a great baker and a great friend to my parents, a woman named Bonnie.  This bread is moist, tender, and great with a pat of butter.  I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as my family has over the years!

Bonty Bread

1 cup sugar
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
3 overripe bananas
Handful of chopped nuts, optional
Handful of chocolate chips, optional

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

1. Cream oil and sugar, either with a hand held mixer or in a stand mixer fitted with paddle attachment

2. Add eggs, beat til combined

3. Sift or whisk together the flour and baking soda; add to sugar mixture and beat til well combined. 
*Note: Batter will be very thick

4. Mash the bananas on a plate with a fork.  Add bananas to batter, beat until combined, scraping down bowl as necessary.

5. If including chocolate chips and nuts, add them to batter and stir by hand to combine.

Pour batter into greased loaf pan: either one standard size or four mini. This recipe also bakes up well as muffins (just line the tins).

Bake times are as follows:
Standard loaf pan: 1 hour (cover loosely with foil last 10 minutes to prevent over cooking of top)
Mini loaf pan: 35-40 minutes
Muffins: 22-25 minutes

Poke with toothpick to ensure center is done.  It should come out clean or with only a few moist crumbs.  Take care not to over bake!  Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then loosen edges with knife before removing.  Cool on wire rack til warm.  Store in airtight container. 
Enjoy!




A short list of pantry staples make up this bread



Cream together the sugar and oil



Add the eggs and continue to beat

The batter is very thick before you add the bananas! The consistency

of cookie dough

Mash the bananas with a fork first to make them easier to
incorporate

After the bananas are beaten, the batter becomes moist. The riper the

bananas, the sweeter the bread will be.

Chocolate chips and nuts and optional, but who would complain?

I like baking them in a mini loaf pan, it cooks up quicker and they are

easier to give as gifts!



Apple Strudel

Apples, golden raisins, walnuts, a squeeze of lemon, and a touch of cinnamon.. Fantastic!

I fixed this apple strudel tonight in the spare moments I had while cooking dinner. 
Apple desserts are my favorite, and I love a good strudel (though this was my first attempt at making one). 
Instead of the time consuming and laborious method of mixing and stretching the dough thin enough to see through, this recipe uses phyllo dough. 
Sure, it's not completely authentic, but I didn't get many complaints!


You can get the recipe here. (though you must sign up for a free trial, I highly recommend America's test kitchen as their recipes are the best out there!) 

**You can read more about my love of America's Test Kitchen in this post.

Amazing lentil soup

This soup is so good!  I serve it with a crusty garlic bread good for scooping.

This is one of my favorite recipes- I cook it all the time.  Not only does it have a subtle flavor that has to be tasted to be appreciated, the ingredients are mostly pantry staples that I always have on hand.  Also, with only me and my husband, there are always leftovers for the next day! 

The source of the recipe:
The recipe was created by America's Test Kitchen.  This group of cooks and food scientists put out several magazine publications: Cooks Illustrated, Cooks Country, Entertaining... Each recipe has an accompanying article describing the finer points about technique and preparation, as well as explanations for ingredients used. 
The magazines are also completely advertisement free!

Where you can get the recipe:
You can find these monthly or quarterly magazines at some grocery stores, and certainly at a bookstore like Barnes and Nobles. 

Perhaps a better option for you is a monthly membership online, where you have access to all the recipes published over twelve years, plus handy tools, search options, etc.  You can visit their website or follow this link to go directly to the soup recipe. 
They offer a free 14 day trial!!

Why use America's Test Kitchen recipes?
I cook almost exclusively with test kitchen recipes.  Why?  The recipes have been, as the name suggests, tested so thoroughly, that they are almost foolproof.  Having cooked for almost 5 years with these recipes, I have only prepared two dishes I did not like.  I cannot recommend them enough!

From foreground back: dried lentils, bacon, diced tomato, thyme, bay leaf, parsley,

garlic, carrot, onion, balsamic vinegar,chicken broth, white wine

1: Crisp the bacon, render the fat

2: Add onions and carrots

4: Add lentils with salt, cover and
let them sweat

3: Add tomatoes and garlic

Add broth and water, let simmer

An important step- to get the right texture, process
some of the stew in a blender.




I encourage you to try this recipe;
I do not think you will be disappointed!